Curriculum

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Curriculum Plan for Global Perspectives at the Elementary Level 2010-2011

  • Enduring Understanding:

Geography is used to explain the past, interpret the present, and plan for the future.
Essential Question:
What are the criteria to create a region?
How is one place different than another place?
Why does culture impact place?
Competencies:
  • Identify the criteria used to define a region.
  • Evaluate the characteristics of places and regions from a variety of points of view.

Standards:

  • National Social Studies Standards 2010:

3. PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments.

9. GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of global connections and interdependence.
  • PA Standards 2010:
  • Geography








  • Literacy:Reading comprehension:

  • Writing:Types of Writing:
  • 1.4.4.B.
7.1.4.B
Describe and locate places and regions as defined by physical and human features.
7.3.4.A:
Identify the human characteristics of places and regions using the following criteria:
  • Population
  • Culture
1.2.4.A.
Read, understand and respond to essential content of text in all academic areas.
1.4.4.B.
Write multi-paragraph informational pieces (e.g., descriptions, letters, reports, instructions). * Use relevant graphics (maps, charts, graphs, tables, illustrations, photographs).



Activities

  • Anticipatory Set (Classroom and Technology Teachers)
      1. Introduce students to the idea of how maps display the world as it exists at a certain time.
        1. Powerpoint/Photostory of one country over a time period.
      2. View Pennsylvania through Google Earth. Then go to 3 other countries in Google Earth: Canada, India, Japan, and Kenya.
      3. Discussion of what differences students notice in the topography, i.e., desert, forest, mountains
        1. Kidspiration organizer
          Comparison of Locations.kid
          Student anticipatory instructions.docx
      4. How might these physical differences affect the lifestyles of the children there?
  • Anticipatory Followup (Individual Classrooms)
      1. View 3 video clips from Teachers Domain:India, Japan, and Kenya

      1. Refine their Kidspiration organizer (Compare and Contrast) to blend topography and culture.
      2. Write a paragraph about a day in their life in school

  • Participating Schools (individually)
      1. Collaborative development of compare and contrast evaluation of US vs. the other countries.
      2. Classroom teacher to lead compare and contrast on Smartboard (what did students learn from their individual group Google Earth/video viewings)
      3. Introduction of which country/countries students will video conference with.
      4. Discussion of what students need to do before the video conference.
        1. Preparation of presentation to partner school about school at each of the schools:
          1. Complete culture quilt squares:
            1. Our school
            2. Our classroom
            3. Our favorite hobbies
            4. Our favorite foods
          2. Other ideas:
            1. subjects
            2. length of school day
            3. recess activities
            4. traditions (Mummers Parade, Thanksgiving, Valentine Day, July 4)
            5. companies specific to here: Oscar Mayer, Tastycake
            6. Backup in place of foods: where we live


  • VideoConference of Participating schools
        1. Sharing of each school's culture quilt
        2. Performance
        3. Questions - Round Table Discussion